Other Integral Spaces

Do you know of another online space where integral is discussed and/or practiced?  Please use this thread to bring notable integral blogs,  forums, chat rooms, virtual realities or whatever to the attention of your fellow second tier zaadzafarians.  Feel free to discuss pros and cons of such places, or just link to them.

The Multiplex is one such place, and there is a thread with a similar concept to this one - called More Integral Spaces? - which i started some time ago.

spiral out,
arthur

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Open Integal is an international, collaborative blog of integral thinkers and practitioners. Most of us have written essays at Integral World and that's how we got connected.

Re: Other Integral Spaces

It's interesting that no one else in this pod has posted another link to an outside source on integrality. I'm wondering if y'all think that Ken and I-I can provide everythng you need on this topic? Do any of you research the original sources where Ken gets many of his ideas, like Habermas or Gebser? Or how he interprets other sources like Derrida? Or if you do go outside Ken and I-I, is it only with others that basically agree with all (or most) of Ken's premises or overall model? Is Ken the be-all and end-all of integral to you? If so I'd suggest you're engaging in a severely restrictive diet that can lead to I-I-itis. Here are just a few other sources to supplement your integral nutrition. Any other suggestions?

Ken Wilber Forum at Lightmind is an excellent source of informed and educated exploration of many of Ken's sources and how he uses them.

ARINA provides a variety of other ways to view the definition of “integral” and offers a peer-reviewed journal and dialogue forum. 

Re: Other Integral Spaces

I'm interested in a global movement which does not go by the “integral” name, but which has similar aims:  transdisciplinarity.  The following websites give some information on various models of transdisciplinarity:

http://www.laetusinpraesens.org/docs/tranpat1.php

http://www.interdisciplines.org/interdisciplinarity/papers/5/24

http://www.metanexus.net/Institute/

I started a thread on transdisciplinarity on the old Integral Naked forum, but it didn't get much response.

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Hi Edward

Thanks for the links, just had a good dig through both of them.

I'm wondering if y'all think that Ken and I-I can provide everythng you need on this topic?

Well no we don't, thats why this pod exists. 

Speaking personally, what I get from this forum is exactly what I never got from the I-I forums, and what I wouldn't get from the spaces you pointed to - and that is place where people relate and interract using a much wider set of perspectives - 1st person interior exploration, 2nd person dialogue and enquirey, as well as 3rd person theory.  And done so with a strong balanance of both masculine and feminie energy. 

Spending 30 minutes reading through threads on lighmind…I'm afraid I didn't see a lot of activity that spans even the majority of those perspectives.

Its not that I don't desire other spaces to interact with other integralites, its the absoute top of my list.   But to be quite blunt, I don't need another instance of an intellectual pissing contest.  Its all about Kosmic address for me - where am I at, and at what location is the object I'm interacting with.  I find it pretty inefficient, not to mention unsatisfying for all involved if theres an inappropriate imbalance.

But thanks anyway Edward, its always worth going back and checking stuff out, see if I still hold the same perspective on it.


Ewan

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Namaste to that brother!

couldnt have said it better…

I think one of the strengths of this pod, and it being on zaadz, which attracts people from many backgrounds, and therefore being less likely to attract those who want to wear the Integral logo and digress into intergal-fiundamentalism and obsession, but has managed to attract those who embrace the massive truth in AQAL and who are willing to share their own first person experiences, which validate it in a very strong way.

Why go looking for gold when its right here. The grass might often be greener, but in this case not so far, and the green of this patch is very well intergated, included and transcended on the whole.

I would go and explore other forums, but my time is limited, and this one seems to be hitting the spot… I'll check out those links tomorrow though, and thanks for them.

All best wishes

Melv

Re: Other Integral Spaces

AMEN.

I have to wonder sometimes how people are interpreting KW's interpretation of let's say Hegel and have never actually read any Hegel themselves but just going by what KW said.
I also cringed at some of his other interpretations of specific philosophers, but in some other cases I thought he was pretty dead on. Don't ask me which ones, it's been awhile.

I'll have to check out some of those Other Integral Spaces when I have the time!

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Hi, may I just suggest an interesting blog space to go?
http://integral.diana.lu is my own website where I keep record and share interesting links about the integral world … perhaps you coud find something of interest overe here ;-)
Diana

Re: Other Integral Spaces

I can appreciate that this pod does it all for some of you. It doesn't for me and it might not for a few others, so I offer some alternatives.

Institute of Transpersonal Psychology: www.itp.edu

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Well,  there's heartmind/integralvisioning (if someone else  didn't already mention it).  I prefer zaadz as a forum space for now,  for much of the above stated reasons (even though I don't post much lately).

I am much more involved in Second Life where we have an integral group.  We have our own virtual space - right next to a space Alex Grey will be using to create a virtual version of his Entheon (how cool is that?).  Actually,  we have our own seperate pod here at zaadz just for us integral SLers. 

We are going to have an in-world event soon - a project spearheaded by Gloria Sempati a.k.a “Tiki” Liz,  which will include video, audio, and perhaps a powerpoint presentation - as well as some guided meditation and open discussion time.  There is even a remote possibility Stuart Davis will give a virtual concert (someone in our group is a friend of his and is going to hit him up). 

It's about a month away,  so if you are interested in helping or just want to have the virtual integral experience go to secondlife.com and get yourself an avatar - you don't want to do this the day of the event,  as it usually takes a few days to get familiar with the controls.  Once in-world instant message me, Enkidu Fanwood, and I'll send you an invite to our group and a landmark (like a weblink for a virtual space) to our space.

A formal anouncement about the event with all the details of when where and what will be posted here and elsewhere soon.

Later,
Enkidu

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Who knows of worthy integral blogs out there? 

Coolmel has a cool blog.  Any others you'd like to throw on the table?

cheers
arthur

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I realized that one of my favorite sites was not mentioned here!

So please visit Integral Options Cafe from William Harryman, also a zaadzter!

Enjoy,
Diana

Re: Other Integral Spaces

CompleteHumanBeing.com is clearly using an integral approach for their self-improvement program.  They would love for you to sign up for their Accelerated Transformative Practice.  It's clear that they are basing their stuff largely on Ken Wilber's work, but he gets only an offhand reference, from what I can see in briefly perusing their site; here is one of their articles:

What is a 'Complete' Practice and why is it important?
by Ted P. Attreides

There are many ways to explain 'complete' or 'integral'. The most common is that it is an approach that attempts to include and integrate matter, body, mind, soul, and spirit. The idea is to simultaneously exercise all the major capacities and dimensions of the human body/mind: physical, mental, emotional, social, cultural and spiritual, as the most effective way to create positive changes within ones self.

As straight forward as that summary might sound now, it is historically a rather radical idea. 'Integral Yoga' was a term first used by Sri Aurobindo in the early 20th century. It specifically meant a practice that is not just a transformation of consciousness, but of the body as well.

(Certainly this is not meant to imply that there were no mind-body practices before the 20th Century. Several cultures have had versions of mind-body practices for hundreds of years. But almost all religious and mystical traditions, east and west, ultimately see the goal of their practice as some kind of vertical lift-off, out of this world into either a transcendent beyond, heaven, or a final nirvana cessation. Sri Aurobindo said that this view was incomplete! Therefore, unless one really reads Sri Aurobindo, they may miss the specific type of transformation of body and consciousness that he spoke of.)

Drawing on these pioneering insights of Aurobindo, but extending them in many profound and significant ways, a number of human potential pioneers, integral thinkers and authors like Ken Wilber, George Leonard, Michael Murphy, Tony Schwartz and many others have been arguing for many years that what is sorely needed now is a truly complete or integral practice.

The basic idea of such a 'complete' practice is simple: The more aspects of our being we simultaneously exercise the more likely that positive human change will occur. And that positive transformation will happen in a shorter amount of time, in other words it will be 'accelerated'.

Although this is a good start at defining a 'complete' or 'integral' practice, Ken Wilber, who has been called one of America's most inventive thinkers, has actually made that scheme even more sophisticated by pointing out that each of those levels of our being actually has three important dimensions.

The first dimension he correlates with self (the I;) the second dimension is cultural (the We;) and the third is correlated with nature (the It).

Let's give an example to make this easier to understand, starting with Self: the levels of existence as they appear in oneself can be exercised by a spectrum of practices: physical exercises (jogging, weightlifting, diet, etc.), emotional exercises (chi-gong, counseling, tantra, etc. ) mental exercises (value clarification, affirmation, visualization, etc.), and spiritual exercises (meditation, contemplative prayer, etc.).

But these levels of existence need to be exercised not just in self, but in culture and nature as well, (the other 2 dimensions). Exercising the levels in culture might mean getting involved in community service or participating in local government. More importantly, it means using relationships in general (marriage, friendship, parenting, and work relationships) to further your own growth and the growth of others. Mutually respectful dialogue – which the Sufis call 'Spiritual Conversation' – is indeed the time honored method of linking self and other in a dance of understanding and deeper connections.

Exercising the levels of existence in nature might mean getting involved in respecting nature in any number of ways (enjoying our national parks, recycling, environmental protection, etc.). It basically means that nature is viewed not as an inert backdrop to our actions but as participating in our own evolution. Thus honoring nature, promotes our own capacity to care.

The ultimate conclusion of this more sophisticated approach is that by putting these three dimensions together with the major levels of existence, we mentioned earlier (i.e. matter, body, mind, soul, and spirit) we get a much more genuinely all encompassing complete or accelerated practice.

Now, obviously this approach must be 'practiced' over a certain period of time, for any meaningful transformation to occur. Hence the name Accelerated Transformative Practice – ATP was coined to describe this complete and more sophisticated approach of creating positive human change within oneself.

In short, ATP attempts to exercise all the basic levels of human beings – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual – in self, culture, and nature, as this is the most powerful way to trigger positive transformation. Not to mention simply becoming as vital, healthy and full of energy as one can be!

~~~~~

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Graham English's Integral Conversations

His “about” page describes him/the blog as follows:

~~~

I named this blog Integral Conversations because the content will be informed by Integral Theory—which means it can be about anything and everything—and because a blog is ideally a place where conversations take place.

You can read more about Integral Theory here: Integral Operating System

About Me

I’m a performing musician: Graham English’s Music
I’m a recording musician: The Graham English Podcast
I’m a music coach: Graham English Seminars
I’m a blogging musician: Graham English Blog
I’m an internet marketer: Graham English Consulting

But this blog won’t be about music. This blog is about taking multiple perspectives.

Some of the other prominent perspectives I’ll be taking:

I’m an NLP Master Practitioner. I’m an entrepreneur and experienced marketer and salesman. I’m pretty sure I’m an Enneagram type one with a nine-wing, the idealist. I’m a creative professional. I’m a life coach and a life hacker. I’m a Mac geek. And I can easily bench press you and kill you in at least 170 different ways.

But I write this blog for love.

~~~

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Hi folks,

The 'Integral Strategies' site I've just launched includes links to an awful lot of 'Other Integral Spaces' that you may well find interesting! :-)

For instance integral discussion forums and lists are here:
http://www.integralstrategies.org/talk.html

Integral salons and communities round the world are here:
http://www.integralstrategies.org/communities.html

Integral blogs are here:
http://www.integralstrategies.org/blogs.html

And here are lots of links, plenty of them integral - all of them relevant (I hope):
http://www.integralstrategies.org/links.html

I just posted a separate general e-mail introducing the site, which has some further info that might be relevant. (I'll post it below).

Some of the info I've gathered on the site very much responds to queries I've read over and over on the Integral Naked forum (eg 'show me some real-world examples of integral in action' etc etc). Though admittedly I've only really seeded the Integral strategies/projects bit of the site so far…. I hope people will send in the integral-related real-world projects they've come across.

Cheers,

Matthew

* * *
Hi Integral Zaadzsters,

I thought you might be interested to take a look around the new website I’ve just launched – it’s called ‘Integral Strategies’ (‘The shortcut to solutions and communities for an integral age’): http://www.integralstrategies.org

As you will spot pretty quickly, it’s inspired by the work of Ken Wilber.

I'd really appreciate your feedback!

It offers information like:

• Real world integral-related projects and strategies, on topics including climate change, AIDS and environmental communication (Do please send in further good ones you’d like to add!)
http://www.integralstrategies.org/strategies.html

(Here’s another example of one integral project on the site: ‘An Architectural Practice as an Integral Organisation' by Vernon Collis and Anna Cowen:
http://www.integralstrategies.org/integralarchitecture.html )

• An international listing of local Integral Salons and groups (add yours!!!)

http://www.integralstrategies.org/communities.html

• Reviews of 100s of the most important integral-related books – most of them recommended by Ken Wilber himself.
http://www.integralstrategies.org/top_integral_books.html

• A round-up of (mostly free) online tests and assessments around all the Quadrants – with descriptions of their relevance to personal growth and organisational development.
http://www.integralstrategies.org/tests.html

Plus a comprehensive round-up of integral blogs, links, online communities etc etc.

If you like what I’m trying to do, please add a hotlink to Integral Strategies from your website or blog (this will enable it to appear in Google search results).

Also, this is a beta test phase for this new site, so please let me know how I could improve it, plus any glitches you spot.

I hope you enjoy this new addition to the range of integral websites available – it’s been a labour of love :-)

Many thanks,

Matthew Kalman
(Webmaster, Integral Strategies; founder, London Integral Circle; and founder member of Ken Wilber’s Integral Institute)

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Hi Matthew,

Welcome to the pod and thanks for posting all that information!

I've changed back the name of thread to its original, since it's hard to keep track of a thread if the name is changed.

Pelle

Re: Other Integral Spaces

see also Integral News and Views Blog Launch (alternate thread title: Integral News and Views: Let's Do Launch)

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I'm pleased to announce a new integral blog is underway. It's my first dedicated attempt at blogging, so I'd appreciate some comments. It's mission, you ask? To explore the world of integral from a student's perspective, giving a little bit of integral writing, philosophy, journalism and spirituality into the mix (Not to mention comedy). There are alot of blogs out there I suppose, but the more the merrier, and with some feedback (positive or negative) I hope it's inspiration for everyone in the community and beyond.

http://www.shamansun.blogspot.com

Re: Other Integral Spaces

My friend Lucy (co-editor of Lucid Dream Exchange and longtime Seth reader) just now told me about a website - newworldview.com - that deals with integral stuff. 

Here's their introduction/mission statement:

Introduction » Mission Statement

When was the last time you experienced something truly out of the box?

Our mission is to nurture the growing international community that explores the practical applications of Conscious Creation ~ the many ways we create body, mind, and spirit within self, culture, and nature.

NewWorldView provides forums, workshops, and educational resources that explore human consciousness and promote abundance, fulfillment, and remembrance. We seek to build bridges between various schools of spirituality, philosophy, art, and science. We use an integral approach to explore:

• The 40-plus volumes of philosophy, Aspect Psychology, fiction, and poetry written by the late Jane Roberts. This work, collectively known as the Seth Material, is archived in Yale University’s Sterling Memorial Library
• The 20,000 pages of Transcripts, Digests, and Exercises on the Elias forum by Mary Ennis
• The 4,000 pages of Transcripts on The Kris Chronicles by Serge Grandbois and Mark Bukator
• The 1,000 pages of Transcripts whose highlights are In the Rose Garden by Joanne Helfrich
• The 20-plus volumes of philosophy, Integral Psychology & Spirituality, fiction, and poetry of Ken Wilber
• Works by members of the Integral Institute in Boulder, CO, including Don Beck’s Spiral Dynamics Integral, Michael Murphy & George Leonard’s Integral Transformative Practice

Together, we are creating a new worldview for ourselves and our world. We invite you to join us!

Re: Other Integral Spaces

I've just been informed of the existence of a blog by former Integral Naked tumblesteed Steven Nickeson:

Integral Liberties

Several years ago, Steven had a habit of triggering me on the IN forums (or did I have a habit of being triggered by him?  Must ponder this.)  Then we met face to face at a mini-gathering in Powell River where he struck me as a really nice guy and a hell of a storyteller.  I have to laugh at the title of his blog; it's totally his style.  Namaste, Steven.

spiral out,
Arthur

Re: Other Integral Spaces

This was mentioned recently in another thread, but I thought it also deserved mention here in this thread, which is sort of a central repository for “other Integral spaces” (hence the thread title… funny how that works, huh? ;-)  Anyway…

The Integral Archipelago group was recently formed. Their group theme is pretty clever, so do go on over and check it out if you haven't already. Note, though, that it's a “request-in” group (like the Integral Pod), so you'll need to contact one of the moderators to request membership.

While I'm here, other Integral Gaia groups, formed by Pod members in the last few months, include:

• Bruce's Integral Post-metaphysical Spirituality group; and
• Arthur's Robert Augustus Masters group (also announced elsewhere recently).

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Project Mendus: Bringing Mind and World Together. This is a new integral project that hopes to attract those who haven't heard of the integral movement in particular, but to still have the underlying theme of trying to see unity and interconnection between all disciplines and paths. Please take a look and consider joining the dialogue. We hope to create a growing base of information which all users can tap into, and contribute.

project mendus

-shamansun

Re: Other Integral Spaces

This community isn't expressly “integral”, but a lot of integral peeps are members:

Dharma Overground (see also the Twitter hashtag: #DhO)

Here's a description of the site:

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Hi Arthur, hi all,

See here one of the oldest integral salons and the greatest -as far as I know -English speaking integral platform with a majority of European participants , increasingly however with members from all over the English speaking world.
460 members registered right now.

We had juicy and good global integral discussions this summer.

London Integral Circle




I joined it in January 2004 as virtual guest member to widen my horizone for Europan integrally inspired and informed activties, perspectives and initiatives in special and in general to participate and connect with the Anglo Saxon language sphere. As there are always bottle necks of available translation in both directions.

London Integral Circle

Of course, everybody is invited to join who engages in serious integral communication or simply wants to learn more about and within this rabbit hole:)

Cheers,
Albert

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Hi Albert.

This London Integral forum seems to be a closed one. I got curious, and tried to have a look at the discussions there, but that is not possible without actually joining the group.

However I appreciate all the links and information you have been sharing here.

Irmeli

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Yes, of course. its by joining the group. For good reasons As it is only for very interested people. So fel free to apply and to join. Matthew Kalman is the moderator.

Best,

Albert

Re: Other Integral Spaces

I just joined a couple of days ago based on one of Albert's posts about this group. Like all Yahoo groups, it's a pain in the butt to join, but in this case, worthwhile. If you are not a member already of any other Yahoo group, you need to set up a whole account with them (free, but lots of blanks to fill in, and a new password to come up with ARGHHHH!!) 

I haven't read anything yet, but I was particularly interested to read the summary of the recent conference on Conscious Capitalism, that's what got me to join.

Thanks so much for helping us have even more of the global perspective, Albert.

Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Well, the online form of any yahoo group is certainly limited. However the quality of discussions at LIC in the last years is the best I ever witnessed in integral country. The radical diversity and complexity which is needed for all the different countreies and cultures.

And I can compare it with those discussions on the German Integral Forum years before I joined.

Compared with Multiplex and other American forums I would even say the LIC is leading in complexity. And hosting the greatest spectrum of integral, proto-integral , evolutionary and systemic perspectives.

There is a big sense of humor and juicy diferences too.):)

Thats why I love it:):)

Cheers,
Albert

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Join the global meshwork of networks catalyzing the second Renaissance

Lots of integrally and evolutionary thining/acting actors and innovators from around the world.

Re: Other Integral Spaces

DIA- Integral Academy Germany

DIA - The Integral Academy

DIA was founded in September 2008 by the Integral Initiative Frankfurt (IIF) (as container organization), the European Integral Academy (EIA)  and the Integral Forum (IF). The goal of this organization is to bring together qualified teachers from the German-Speaking world as well as internationally under the umbrella of “integral” topics in order to enable more and more people to master themselves in an “integrally informed” way and to empower them to contribute to better and more wholesome solutions for global problems.

Re: Other Integral Spaces

Renaissance 2?  Try: renaissance 1 x 10^5000 for a slightly greater, more realistic context.  Notice: the larger the context, the smaller and less important the individual.  Renaissance 2 therefore = Massive Implied Importance.  I see Cohen's participating.  Ya, that makes sense.  He wears a Superman cape under his normal clothes.

Re: Other Integral Spaces

I do not buy what you say. Wnderful people like Terry Patten, Robin Wood, Helen Titchen Beeth, George Por et al are among the over 200 members.

This is a serious meshworking approach with lots of integrative potential. I highly appreciate it.

Re: Other Integral Spaces

I am delighted you are telling us about all these endeavors going on in the world, Albert. It is really encouraging to me!!!!

Tom,
 the larger the context, the smaller and less important the individual.  


I know that has been true in the past “logically,” practically by definition. But I sense that people of more -expanded consciousness can hold that paradox, that dynamic, that tension, in a new kind of balance or even synthesis, so that the larger the context, the larger and more important the individual.


I say that because in my moments of most expanded awareness, each specific little thing of life becomes not just important, but “infinitely precious.” That's the direct heart-felt experience. So I know that such a synthesis is possible.


Does that resonate for you?


Blessings, OM Bastet 

Re: Other Integral Spaces

I am expanding the field of meanings, regarding “integral we spaces” a bit. So to speak creating notes from the field.

However: Its in no way true for that some “enlghtened” epicenters are residing like the city of Rome for the catholics. The fields are active, potent and powerful impulses in their own right. Created by the most diverse and complex genius of themselves. In the countries, cultures, communities , cities and corporate worlds. They are moving so fast that any mapping is late.

Remembering:

Laying down the railways while simultaneously driving the engine and improving the maps. Lots of invisible legwork is to. Dirty work with the hands. And behind the scenes.

Taking 3 blog entries from this year:

open day at european leadership academy

I know the initiator personally for years. while inclined to lots of integral perspectives he did consciously- and for good reason- not choose the i label.

social innovation worldwide

The hub and Kaos Pilots are spearheading lots of projects in social innovation. Which is bordering to social entreprenurship. we have a vision summit in Berlin in November which focuses on these themes. Adressing that 60-70 percent of the world need new forms of social entreprenurship.

convergence and emergence

Marilyn Hamilton blogged about her visits in Europe. It seems that more and more emergence and convergence of all kind are in a kind flickring dance. Nobody, really nobody can predict how these patterns will take off in next decade.

But as Peter Drucker said:

“The best way to predict future is to create it.”

Cheers,

Albert